


I'm Not Cute

by kinkymochi



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe, Angst, Cat/Human Hybrids, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hybrid - Freeform, Hybrid AU, Hybrid Adoption, Hybrid Changkyun, Hybrid Jooheon, Hybrid Shelter, Hybrids, M/M, Multi, So be warned, also these aren't the tags i forgot, and have to stop what i'm doing to come back here and add the tags i forgot, and i'll have this fucking epiphany, because i'll get halfway though writing the chapter, but u know, hybrid minhyuk, i feel like i'm forgetting a few tags, i hate it when this happens, idk if i'll label which, maybe smut idk yet, nsfw warning in some chapters, soft angst, whatever, why do i try
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 02:50:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14535063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinkymochi/pseuds/kinkymochi
Summary: Minhyuk is a rare human-golden tiger hybrid with a bad past, Hyungwon is a relatively quiet person. Hyungwon doesn't really push people, Minhyuk doesn't really like being pushed. Minhyuk doesn't like holding a conversation, Hyungwon isn't exactly known for his expert social skills. What happens when you put them together?





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello, just coming by to edit this a bit~~  
> (11/21/2018)

Hyungwon shook his head, denying the offer for what seemed like the millionth time in just 10 minutes. Kihyun had been going on and on about his and Wonho's new hybrid, an adorable Persian cat hybrid named Changkyun, for the past hour and had been bugging Hyungwon on getting one for the last 10 minutes. Hyungwon didn't even like talking to other people, how was he even supposed to take care of a stranger? It was a miracle that Kihyun was still friends with him, and Hyungwon honestly can't recall having any other friends other than Kihyun and the few people that Kihyun has actually introduced him to. I mean, yeah, sure, he'd like someone to just love and cuddle all day long, but he'd have to actually get to know the hybrid and he isn't even good at getting to know the people he works with. At this point, though, Hyungwon's patience was wearing thin and he was considering telling him yes just to shut him up. Sure, Kihyun would take him to the shelter, they'd look around and Hyungwon would just say he didn't meet anyone that caught his attention. Easy enough, and it'll get Kihyun off of his back.

Everyone wins, but most importantly, Hyungwon wins.

"If I tell you I'll go to the shelter with you, will you shut the fuck up?" Hyungwon questioned with a raised brow.

"Yes," Kihyun said immediately, "If you go and you really don't see any hybrids that you want to adopt, then I won't bug you about it again."

Okay, Hyungwon knew Kihyun was lying there, he knew Kihyun. He'll mean it, and actually stick with it for a few weeks, maybe a month if he was lucky, before he'd either forget or decide he didn't care anymore. Still, that was a potential month of Kihyun leaving him alone about it, and right now he'd take whatever amount of time he could get. Hyungwon was worried about whether or not he'd still have his sanity in tact if he said no (and his ass, Kihyun is small but fierce). Hyungwon told Kihyun he agreed, and Kihyun did a little happy dance; saying that they'd go as soon as they got off work, which was in about an hour an a half if everything went smoothly. Two hours if they didn't, and it usually didn't; they worked in a busy cafe, after all. Hyungwon, obviously, wasn't looking forward to it. He'd much rather go home, take a quick shower, and then just sleep until tomorrow afternoon. It was his ritual ever since he got weekends off; on Friday he'd just come home and sleep the weekend away.

Once Kihyun came over because he really did sleep for nearly 30 hours straight, and made him get up and eat the food he cooked. Not that Hyungwon is necessarily complaining, Kihyun makes the best food he's ever tasted, and Hyungwon is about 100.3% sure the other could be a 5 star chef if he wanted to. Kihyun, despite how annoying he can be at times, was actually a really good friend. He was sort of like a worried parent disguised by sass, sarcasm, and snarky comments. He'd flutter about the house, angrily cleaning up the mess that Hyungwon called his apartment, while barking at the taller to eat so he didn't land in the hospital. Hyungwon couldn't really ask for a better friend, not that he'd want to anyway. They've known each other for a while, a few years actually, and Kihyun was his closest (and most annoying) friend. It was really convenient that they both landed a job at the same cafe, and didn't have the threat of careers to pull apart their friendship.

Hyungwon really needed the anchor of having a close friend next to him 8 hours minimum a day. It brought stability and peace of mind to Hyungwon, and if Kihyun were to call off their friendship here and now, Hyungwon would probably spend the next few months in his bed crying. Soon, the end of their work shift came and everything had gone smoothly, meaning they could actually leave on time for once. They work as baristas at a popular coffee shop, and have been there for a while; next week would mark two years. Hyungwon liked the calm atmosphere of the coffee shop (save for rush hour), and had no intentions of leaving. He didn't think he could handle an office or business job anyway, he'd feel too restrained.

"Come on, it's not that far, just follow my car." Kihyun said and Hyungwon nodded.

"Alright, sure."

"If you can keep up."

Hyungwon rolled his eyes and hopped in his car, which was (thankfully) only a few parking spaces away from Kihyun's car. Granted, Kihyun's car was a very nice  [McLaren P1 Pacific Blue](http://mclarenp13.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/more-of-the-ridiculous-pacific-blue-p1-joshkj-mclaren-p1-mso.jpg), while Hyungwon's was a simple and modest [2005 Toyota Celica](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/D-XfSoT9h_E/maxresdefault.jpg) that he got for half the price because it needed work; it still ran perfectly fine. He had been meaning to get a new car, he had enough money saved up for a down payment, but he just never got around to it. He sighed as he turned the key, switching the A/C on low and putting his seat belt on. At least this place wasn't that far away, so he should be thankful for that. Kihyun had an unwavering tendency to never tell him how far away something is if the shorter knows that it would be too far for Hyungwon to agree to go. Cheeky bastard, but he was going to change shirts once they got into the parking lot. He wasn't just going to stay in his white button-up shirt when he went into the shelter. He always kept an extra shirt in his car for times like these, when Kihyun took him places on a whim; after years of knowing the smaller, you learn to just be prepared.

White shirts + anything = a bad idea. A simple equation he followed in life, and he'd wear a black button-up if they let him. Honestly, wearing white as a barista was the stupidest idea as far as practicality goes. You're literally working with coffee all day, you're bound to get stains on the stupid uniform while working, and the white will just make it stand out. But oh no no, aesthetics are obviously far more important than practicality, how could he not see it before? He was a modern day idiot for not realizing sooner. A few turns later, he was in the parking lot of the shelter. He turned the car off, taking off his seat belt to reach for the shirt he kept in the back for times like these. Times when he couldn't go home to change because, like he said, Kihyun often wanted to go places without even a warning the day prior. He quickly decided he was too lazy to take off his white collared shirt, mainly due to the volume of buttons, so he just ended up putting his black oversized sweater on top of it.

He adjusted it so that the collar rested on top of the neck of the sweater before getting out of the car, making sure his wallet was in his pocket and locking the vehicle. He met Kihyun at the front door, and took in his surroundings. The building was very [architecturally pleasing](https://njanimalobserver.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/animal-shelter-design.jpg?w=440); it had pale beige bricking on the main part of the building, with what he assumed to be cement on the other areas and pillars, with metal replacing one of the outside walls that faced the street. Their logo and name was on the metal wall, it was simple yet visually pleasing. Kihyun held the door open and Hyungwon walked in first. The area he was in was very nice, with pale hardwood floors, and pale yellow walls. An inviting yellow, not one where his eyes would hurt looking at it (which was amazing, because Hyungwon has yet again failed to bring his glasses with him today). The man at the desk perked up, looking at them with raised brows before smiling, recognizing Kihyun and moving out from behind the desk to shake his hand.

"Kihyun! It's been a couple weeks, how's Changkyun doing?" The man questioned.

"He's doing really well! He's taking to Jooheon well, and he has Wonho wrapped around his finger." Kihyun smiled, and the man returned it.

"That's so good to hear! I knew he'd love it with you guys," The man looked over to make eye contact with Hyungwon, "And who's this?"

"This is Hyungwon, my friend, and he's looking to adopt." Kihyun gestured.

"Ah, my name is Hyunwoo," He held out his hand, "I'll be helping you today."

"Hyungwon," He smiled and shook Hyunwoo's hand, "Nice to meet you."

"Well, tell me a bit of what you're looking for." Hyunwoo inquired moving to the desk to get a clipboard.

 

Hyungwon wasn't expecting that question. How does he even answer that? Is he going to sound mean if he does? Is he going to sound like an asshole if he says he prefers not to have a specific type of hybrid? He doesn't want to offend anyone-

 

"Ah, well, uh," Hyungwon stuttered, "I don't want him to be too hyper, I don't think I could handle that."

"I see, a laid-back man yourself?" Hyunwoo asked, and Hyungwon nodded.

"Yeah, probably too laid back." Kihyun laughed, and Hyungwon shot a glare.

"What else?" Hyunwoo asked with a smile.

"Uhm," Hyungwon dragged out, "I don't really know, all I know is that if he's bouncing off the walls I'll go crazy."

Hyunwoo laughed, "It's okay, I'll show you all the rooms and if anything pops into your mind you can just tell me."

"Okay," Hyungwon nodded, "Good plan."

"Do you have any breed in mind?" Hyunwoo asked, "Or ones you want to stay away from, just so I know what to show you."

"No," Hyungwon shook his head, "Just as long as they're calm."

Hyunwoo nodded with a smile, as if he was relieved, but Hyungwon didn't read too much into it. Kihyun decided to wait in the main area so he could video call Wonho and talk with him and his two hybrids (and Kihyun has the audacity to call Wonho whipped, honestly). If Changkyun had Wonho wrapped around his finger, then Changkyun had Kihyun wrapped around his whole hand. Hyungwon followed Hyunwoo back, alone, and he was first taken through the dog area. He saw a lot of cute dog hybrids, some a lot younger than others who were obviously pups. There was one that looked to be a dalmatian hybrid, and he was the cutest thing Hyungwon has ever seen, but unfortunately the hybrid was too young. Kids were always hyperactive, it's just a part of being so young, and he felt a pang of guilt hit his chest. Hyungwon didn't really want to take care of anyone who wasn't old enough to be left alone as well. He had a job, after all, and unlike Kihyun, he didn't have a boyfriend to watch the hybrid while he went to work.

That's something he should mention to Hyunwoo, and he quietly did once they left the room, he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Hyunwoo nodded, completely understanding, and avoided the rooms that were children-specific. Hyungwon was then taken through a room with bunny hybrids, but he quickly decided that they were too hyper for him. They were cute, don't get him wrong, he just couldn't keep up with someone who was always bouncing off the walls. He could barely keep up with himself half of the time, which now that he thinks about he should probably get that checked by a professional or something. He won't mention that to Hyunwoo, though, that's probably better just staying in his mind. Hyunwoo and Hyungwon left the room relatively quickly, the older sensing Hyungwon's slight discomfort.

"Are you looking for any like, special breeds?" Hyunwoo asked again, and Hyungwon raised a brow.

"I-I-I don't know what you mean, but please not a fish." Hyungwon said with a confused tone, and Hyunwoo laughed.

"No, no no no, I just think I have someone in mind." Hyunwoo informed and Hyungwon let out a breath.

"Well, if you think he's a fit for me, I'm willing to see him," Hyungwon nodded, "You're the expert here, not me."

"Alright, he can be a bit uh," Hyunwoo paused to find the right word, "Apprehensive at first, but I'm sure you'll love him."

"What's his name?" Hyungwon questioned.

"Minhyuk, he's a golden tiger hybrid, first and only one I've seen." Hyunwoo said and Hyungwon was surprised.

"Golden tiger?" Hyungwon questioned and the older nodded.

"Yeah, they're supposed to be really rare and on the verge of extinction," Hyunwoo informed, "That's just from me searching Google, though."

"Ah," Hyungwon nodded, "What's he like?"

"He's quiet," Hyunwoo started, and Hyungwon was already mentally cheering, "He keeps to himself a lot, but he has a hard time trusting anyone." Mental cheering gone, hello concern.

"Do you know why?" Hyungwon asked.

"Well, kind of, but I don't really know the whole story, so if I told you it'd be like giving you a crumb of a crumb." Hyunwoo gave a white lie, and Hyungwon nodded.

"Oh, I see." Hyungwon said, not really deterred.

"Just don't let it bother you." Hyunwoo said before opening the door.

His vision was a bit blurry due to him forgetting his glasses, but he could still see that it was a small room with one single bed in it, and Hyungwon guessed that Minhyuk didn't room with anyone. More specifically, that he didn't _like_ rooming with anyone. Hyungwon also guessed that it was because of how reserved he was towards others, from what he's heard. Hyunwoo introduced Hyungwon to Minhyuk, who only glanced up long enough to get a look at Hyungwon's face before going back to whatever game he was playing. Hyungwon didn't know what exactly he was playing, but he enjoyed video games too, so maybe that was a good starting point. He stepped closer, now seeing that Minhyuk's ears looked as if someone had carefully painted honey on them, only leaving a small spot towards the top of his ears white. His tail, that gently flicked up and down on the bed, was absolutely beautiful. It was like someone had softly painted honey onto a white coat, creating a white to gold gradient, and then drizzled a cinnamon-honey mixture along his tail.

The last few stripes on Minhyuk's tail were significantly darker than the rest, Hyungwon was absolutely taken. Whipped to the fullest, and they don't even know one another yet. Was he going to admit that out loud? Absolutely not. At least, not while Minhyuk was there. He didn't have to say anything, though, for Hyunwoo to notice Hyungwon's heart eyes towards the hybrid. He smiled to himself, internally congratulating himself. _Hyunwoo, you've done it again, you deserve a raise_. Admittedly, he's had a bit of trouble with an owner or two of Minhyuk in the past, but this time was different. This time Hyunwoo had been the first to introduce a potential owner, and Hyunwoo got good vibes from Hyungwon. He trusted him, and could tell that the taller, lankier man wouldn't hurt Minhyuk. Hyungwon slowly approached Minhyuk, who still didn't bother with acknowledging his existence any more than he already had. Hyungwon sat on his shins, not wanting to sit on Minhyuk's bed unless he was told to.

Minhyuk still didn't look over at him, not seeing a point in it. People passed through here all the time, getting his hopes up just to have them come crashing down. After a while, he figured what was the point in caring so much about people that didn't care about him? Exactly, there wasn't a point. So here he was, playing his handheld instead of acknowledging the existence of anyone, except at meal times. Then occasionally he'd say thank you, but nothing more than that.

"Hi, I'm Hyungwon." He introduced.

Minhyuk was silent.

"What are you playing?" Hyungwon inquired.

"Super Mario: Yoshi's Island. I'm on a boss level right now." Minhyuk said almost emotionlessly, and Hyungwon almost fluttered away.

Dear God, his voice was like velvet.

"Ah, I like video games too." Hyungwon informed, and the other paused his game.

"Oh really? What kind?" Minhyuk asked, skeptical.

"Well, I have Overwatch on my computer, but I've been playing more games on the PS4." Hyungwon said, and Minhyuk was pleasantly surprised.

"You have Overwatch?" Minhyuk asked, finally making eye contact.

Dear Christ.

That was it.

Those eyes almost Killed Hyungwon. If he was unsure before, he's set in a decision now. He was going to adopt Minhyuk even if it killed him; of course, as long as Minhyuk agreed to it. He wasn't just going to force the hybrid to come home with him, he wasn't a Monster. He often wondered how people could do that; just assume and take the hybrids home. Hybrids aren't like cats or dogs where you have to make a decision for them, they're people. How many hybrids were forced into going home with 'owners' all because the owner wanted them? Shouldn't their opinion matter? It's their life they're giving away, isn't it? Hyungwon's thoughts stopped as he met Minhyuk's golden yellow eyes, different from the gold that was on his ears and tail, but still somehow matched perfectly. It was like Hyungwon could see his soul through his eyes, which was an absolutely ridiculous thing to think when he's only just met the hybrid, but still. Hyungwon was silent for a moment, actually stunned by the beauty of the hybrid in front of him. Why hadn't he been adopted already? He was absolutely stunning, and he didn't seem to be that abrasive as he was made out to be.

Was it because nobody wanted to adopt him, or because he didn't want to be adopted? Minhyuk raised a brow when Hyungwon didn't answer his question, getting very annoyed very quickly. He called out, waving a hand in front of Hyungwon's face, who seemed to come back down to Earth after all that. He laughed nervously, scratching his head (a nervous tick he had).

"Sorry, you're just really beautiful." Hyungwon said without thinking, and Minhyuk was silent, "Wait-That came out-I didn't think before I spoke." Hyungwon began to trip over himself out of embarrassment.

"I-uh, it's fine." Minhyuk dismissed, very obviously blushing.

"It might sound a little weird now after I said that, because I'm a thoughtless idiot," Hyungwon started, "But would it be alright if I adopted you?"

"Uh...Sure, usually people don't ask, though." Minhyuk said, looking a bit unamused.

"Well I don't want you to feel like I'm forcing you, and I don't want you to come if you don't want to." Hyungwon informed, on the verge of rambling.

"Oh." Was all Minhyuk said, surprised by how thoughtful the question now appeared.

"So is it a yes, Minhyuk?" Shownu questioned.

"Yeah, sure." Minhyuk nodded.

"Okay, great! Pa-" Shownu began.

"Pack my things and meet you in your office, I know the drill." Minhyuk said as if he'd done this a million times before.

Shownu nodded, not wanting to make Minhyuk any angrier, but also understanding how he felt. He's been returned 3 times, and everyone else who's come in here has passed him up without any second thoughts, saying that the hybrid was too mouthy and opinionated for their liking. Shownu took Hyungwon back to his office, which was behind the last door before you walked into the main lobby-area. Hyungwon signed the papers with no problem, and gave Shownu his credit card and two forms of I.D. when asked. Considering Hyungwon didn't have 20,000 dollars just lying around like an absolute madman, Hyunwoo set up a normal payment plan. Half the people that adopt from the shelter use it; they pay half of the price upfront, and then the payment plan after that depends on the price. For Hyungwon, it was two thousand dollars every two months (thanks to Hyungwon's excellent credit score). He could afford it, considering the cafe he worked at was pretty popular, and has been there for quite some time (on top of doing modeling gigs on the side, but that's a secret).

Granted, he'd have to cut back on a few things, like eating out for lunch practically every day, but he didn't mind. He'd just make his lunch and then take it to work with him, not really that big of a deal. He'd been meaning to eat healthier anyway, so that didn't bother him all that much. If doing something small like cutting back a few minute things meant he'd be able to take the stunning hybrid home, he was more than willing to do it. Hyungwon didn't like discussing his finances, but let's just say he definitely made enough, and just leave it at that. Hyunwoo went over some basic things; what he can't eat, what he absolutely has to eat every day, when he needs to take his suppressants, and things of the sort. Hyungwon almost forgot that hybrids went into heat, and that most of them took suppressants. Well, unless they had a mate or their owners gave them a bit of 'assistance', but Hyungwon had absolutely NO intentions of doing anything like that. Nope. Nope, nope, nope. Absolutely not. He was a human being, not a love machine; he prefers for things like that be between him and his lover. If Minhyuk ever approached him about it, it'd be a hard no. Thankfully, he figured he didn't have to worry about that with Minhyuk.

He didn't seem like the type of person to do that, considering how independent and abrasive he is. In fact, Minhyuk might just fling himself into an active volcano before asking for help for that kind of a _situation_ , which truthfully hurt Hyungwon's pride a bit like it would any normal person, but it was far outweighed by the relief of mind. It's not that he has some prejudice against it, or against people who do it with their hybrids, it was just that...Well, Hyungwon hasn't really done anything like that, and he was NOT admitting that out loud. That's the most embarrassing fact about himself, other than that one summer a few years ago where he walked in on Kihyun, Wonho, and Jooheon all having this threesome-orgy thing with one another and his first reaction was to go, 'Here's those apartment you left at my lollipops' before yeeting the bag across the room and running off. Hyungwon, admittedly, hasn't been with a lot of men; I mean, he's really only had two boyfriends and isn't really into 'one-night-stand' deals. I mean, yeah he has things he uses, but that's neither here no there and now he's overthinking this WAY too much.

"You know I'm right here, I can tell him about myself." Minhyuk stated, succeeding in scaring the shit out of Hyungwon.

"Oh my god," Hyungwon held his chest, "I think I felt my soul ascend."

"Get a hold of yourself," Minhyuk rolled his eyes, "It's not my fault you weren't paying attention."

"Maybe if you made your presence known instead of hiding in the shadows like a stalker, I would've paid attention." Hyungwon fired back.

"Maybe if you saw past your own ego, I wouldn't have to hide in the shadows." Minhyuk retorted, playing on his game.

"Minhyuk." Hyunwoo said in a warning tone.

"I know, I know, sorry," Minhyuk said in an almost condescending tone, "There, I apologized."

"Right, well thanks for coming here, Hyungwon." Hyunwoo said, holding out his hand.

"Ah, Kihyun was the one who dragged me here." Hyungwon said with a shy smile, shaking hands.

"Well, thanks to him then, yeah?" Hyungwon asked, handing him a copy of the contract.

"Yes, definitely." Hyungwon agreed.

While Hyungwon wasn't going to let Minhyuk sass him without him sassing back, he kind of liked it, in a weird way. He liked how Minhyuk wasn't going to just silently take bullshit, but yaknow he still got annoyed with it. Naturally. Hyungwon opened the door for Minhyuk, who bumped into his shoulder on the way out. Hyungwon pressed his tongue to his cheek, looking away for a moment as he took a breath. He simply shook his head, laughing lightly at how ridiculous this whole thing was. What did Hyungwon do, a vacuous bystander might ask? Foolish, simple-minded people; Hyungwon's crime was breathing, how could he have been so ignorant? Regardless of how Minhyuk was treating him, he still felt a great deal of love for Minhyuk even though they'd only met literally just an hour or two ago. Of course, it wasn't some odd burning love as if they were soulmates in some romantic comedy, but it was about as much love as he could feel for the hybrid without knowing much about him.

It was like when you first see Hogweed, you love it's beauty and contrast, and you want to take some of the flowers home with you to keep on the vase in the middle of the dining table. Then, after learning that Hogweed will give you severe blisters if you touch it, you decide to love it from a distance. Okay, maybe not exactly like that, Minhyuk won't give him blisters by just touching him, but he might bite. Hyunwoo offered to show them both out, a polite gesture, but Hyungwon had declined with a polite smile. Hyungwon hurried to catch up with Minhyuk, who wasn't paying attention and was about to walk right into a pillar. Hyungwon quickly moved him to the side a bit, startling the hybrid into a hiss.

"What the hell?" Minhyuk asked in a ready-to-pounce stance.

"You were going to run into the pillar." Hyungwon said, gesturing to the large cement pillar.

"Okay, well you don't need to touch me." Minhyuk defended and Hyungwon nodded.

"Got it, words only, no physical contact even if it's to potentially save your life." Hyungwon said with a nod.

"Finally, something's getting through that thick head of yours." Minhyuk said and Hyungwon just laughed, "Why are you laughing?"

"Because you keep trying to insult me, but it's just not working, and you look kinda cute when you try." Hyungwon said, bopping the others nose.

Minhyuk only growled quietly.

He was NOT cute, he was very menacing and very intimidating. A creature of the night. He was a tiger, a deadly creature. He had feral, carnivorous blood running through his veins. He was NOT cute.


	2. Back Home

Hyungwon blinked slowly while he sat on the couch, the T.V. playing mindlessly in the background. To say he was tired was an understatement; the effects of having worked a 12 hour shift, and then afterwards spending a few more hours in the shelter was getting to him. He kept nodding off, only to wake himself up a few minutes over He was silent for another long moment before he looked over to Minhyuk, who sat on the other side of the couch, as he finally realized something.

"I didn't ever show you your room, did I?" Hyungwon questioned a bit slowly.

"Ah, there's your genius streak showing itself again, Sleeping Beauty." Minhyuk commented, focused on his game.

"I feel like an idiot." Hyungwon admitted before standing up.

"Well, your brain is always right." Minhyuk commented, sarcasm ever present.

"Thanks," Hyungwon said before realizing what Minhyuk meant, "Hey wait a second-"

"I was wondering when you were going to catch on," Minhyuk glanced up, "You were a bit faster than expected."

"I'm actually very intelligent, thank you very much, I have a lot of smarts." Hyungwon grumbled.

"Where were they just now?" Minhyuk asked, pressing buttons like a madman.

"I'm tired, right now doesn't count." Hyungwon whined.

"Right, how could I forget, I'll make sure to add that to my 'Times When Hyungwon Can't Claim Responsibility' list." Minhyuk sassed.

"I'll fight you-" Hyungwon's eyes narrowed.

"Do it." Minhyuk instigated.

"With my love." Hyungwon finished and Minhyuk groaned.

"Please don't, what are you now, a tree sap?" Minhyuk made a face.

"Only for you." Hyungwon flashed a tired smile.

Hyungwon disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, getting himself some water. He didn't want anything too heavy when it was so close to him going to bed, and he was too lazy for anything else. Plus, he should probably be drinking more water anyway. It's a win-win situation, really. He was too lazy for anything else, water was healthy for him anyway, how could he lose? He downed half the bottle by the time he walked back into the living room, and a vague thought of him accidentally drowning from drinking too much water at once crossed his mind briefly. He was going to show Minhyuk his room, and _then_ he'd go to bed. He'd feel absolutely awful if he fell asleep without letting Minhyuk know he had an actual room, with Minhyuk ending up sleeping on the couch or something terrible. So, it's been decided, then. He'd show Minhyuk his room, and then crash on the nearest soft surface that _wasn't_ Minhyuk's room. Would it be the couch in the living room? His own bed? Maybe he'd just sleep on the hallway floor? Nothing is certain in life.

He should also tell Minhyuk about his work schedule so that way Minhyuk wouldn't just wake up on Monday with Hyungwon gone, and him thinking Hyungwon forgot about him or something. No, no absolutely not, he was tired not an asshole. He'll also ask if he can have some extra hours at his work, he didn't want to run the risk of something happening and he ended up not having enough to pay for whatever it might be. He also wanted to spoil Minhyuk a bit, if he let him. Hyungwon moved to gently nudge Minhyuk on his shoulder, but stopped in his tracks at what the older said.

"Don't touch me." Minhyuk said with a threatening voice.

Simple, straight, and to the point. Hyungwon could appreciate that.

"Okay, sorry," Hyungwon apologized, now rubbing his eye, "Here, let me show you your room."

"What if I don't want to go?" Minhyuk questioned.

"I'll wait until you fall asleep and I'll carry you in there." Hyungwon said without hesitation.

"What if I don't want it? It's probably just some room you used to put cleaning supplies in," Minhyuk rambled, "I don't want to sleep with Clorox."

"Huh?" Hyungwon said, now both tired and confused, "What? No, no, it's a bedroom. I just don't use it because I never had a roommate, and this place was cheaper than a one bedroom," He explained, "Something about water damage, I don't remember." He shrugged

"Oh," Minhyuk nodded, now becoming silent.

"Come on, I'm tired." Hyungwon said, on the verge of whining.

"Alright, alright, you're lucky I just beat the boss." Minhyuk said, getting up.

Hyungwon led him to the bedroom that was next to his, that was almost as big as his own. Minhyuk's room was relatively empty, being that Hyungwon never used it. There was a bed in there, a nightstand, a dresser, the usual stuff. He always had it set up in case he had guests over, but nobody really ever stayed over at his apartment; mainly because Hyungwon didn't know that many people, and even if he did he still probably wouldn't want people sleeping over that often. When Kihyun would come over with Wonho, the two of them would just end up falling asleep on the couch (despite Hyungwon's nagging of 'it's not healthy to keep doing that you assholes'). So, the room was free of the scent of other people, and instead a faint smell of cherry blossom was in the air. That was the air freshener that Hyungwon kept in both of the bedrooms, along with the bathroom. Hyungwon just kept those small [solid air fresheners](http://everestwholesales.com/wp-content/uploads/thumbs_dir/RENUZIT-SOLID-AIRFRESHENER-CHERRY-BLASSOM-6hq5z5lazgjoicsr2odbdhe1vjwaoltf7njq3nn05ym.png) in every room, he hated bad smells as much as he hated waking up in the morning.

The bed sheets were white with two parallel dark red lines near the sides of the covers. The covers had an intricate dark design on the middle, matching the intricate designs on a couple of the white pillows. Hyungwon was all about aesthetics (his work doesn't count, that wasn't 'aesthetic', that was just impractical), he liked things looking nice, and the sheets were very aesthetic-worthy and looked like they could appear in a cheesy tumblr blog on semi-monochromatic aesthetics; at least he thought so/ Ironically enough, Minhyuk's favourite color was red, and he was currently wondering if it was possible to fall in love with [a bed set.](https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/51b29fb4-719f-4371-9b4c-8f1c7963e122_1.f2afb89a05aeb1dc85d4d397b6599925.jpeg) Minhyuk looked back with an eyebrow raised, silently asking if this _whole bedroom_ was for him. It, however, kind of went over Hyungwon's head due to how tired he was. He isn't the most observant person when he's tired.

"This is your bedroom, sorry if you don't really like it or if it's too bare," Hyungwon yawned, "We can go to the store tomorrow if so you can get some things."

"Things? Things for what?" Minhyuk asked, now confused.

"Yeah, like, I dunno," Hyungwon sighed, "Maybe you want posters, or like journals, maybe you like painting, I dunno. Just things."

"Why? I'm just a hybrid, I'm not like a person or anything." Minhyuk questioned, more confused than before.

"What? The fuck? No, you're just as much of a person as me, who told you that?" Hyungwon questioned, now fully alert (almost), "Who said that? You deserve to be treated like a human being. Yeah, you're half animal, but you're still a whole half of a human being. You have all the mental capacities of a human being, and probably more given that you also have animal in you. If anything you're like an advanced race." Hyungwon rambled, something he often did when tired.

 _"What?"_ Minhyuk said, hardly believing a word he was saying.

"Like this is Planet Of The Apes, except you guys are the apes that are like really fucking smart and are smart enough to take over the world-wait, hold on, this was a bad example, don't take it the wrong way-" Hyungwon was cut off of his frantic exhaustion-induced rambling when Minhyuk suddenly hugged him.

"Shut up you idiot," Minhyuk snuggled into him a bit, "I know what you mean, and thank you."

"Of course," Hyungwon hugged back after a brief moment, "It's nothing really to thank me for-"

"Shut the fuck up, you tired moron," Minhyuk grumbled, "You have no idea how thankful I am."

Hyungwon chuckled, "Well, you're welcome, if you ever need anything else, let me know."

"I doubt I will, but thanks." Minhyuk said, hugging him a bit tighter.

"Anything at all, okay?" Hyungwon said again, "Even if I'm sleeping."

"I'm not going to wake you up, you'll be grumpy and disoriented-" Minhyuk began to rant.

"I'm not that bad." Hyungwon defended.

"Yeah, okay, if you say so," Minhyuk rolled his eyes and pulled away, "Now get out!" Minhyuk started shoving Hyungwon out the door.

"What-" Hyungwon started.

"Get out, idiot! I have better things to do than to just talk to you!" Minhyuk said, closing the door after Hyungwon was out of the room.

Hyungwon stared at the door for a moment, a little confused as to what just happened. He thought him and Minhyuk were having a moment, and then out of nowhere Minhyuk just throws him out. He stared intently at the door for a moment before a small smile appeared on his face. Hyungwon reads quite a bit of anime, and if anyone embodied a trope perfectly, it was Minhyuk and the tsundere trope, but it was cute on him. Hyungwon's smile widened as he shook his head, uttering out a goodnight before walking back to his room. He didn't expect Minhyuk to hug him though, especially since he just brought him home today. Maybe Minhyuk and Hyungwon were making progress, Hyungwon could only hope that was the case. He wasn't going to push the other though, in fear of him closing himself off completely. Minhyuk was something else, he got on his nerves a couple times since he's been here, but it was something Hyungwon was oddly thankful for. He was happy Minhyuk voiced his opinions and didn't think he had to be 'obedient'.

That being said, Hyungwon still thinks some of the name-calling is completely unnecessary, but Hyungwon wasn't about to tell him to stop. No, if it really became that bad, then he'd cross that bridge when he got to it. Hyungwon softly closed his bedroom door, hearing Minhyuk call out a faint goodnight. He smiled softly again, something he did often when he thought of the other. He quietly changed into his pajamas, nearly falling asleep on the dresser when he rested his head on it. He decided he was too tired to put on a shirt, and just went to bed in his pajama pants. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was asleep, but he couldn't help but think of one thing before he fell victim to his exhaustion. What happened in Minhyuk's past?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh, i realized that i have to have more than one chapter published in order to mark the work as unfinished :') i hope you guys liked this chapter!! i also wanted to type something else here but i can't remember what it was oOf-


	3. Chapter 3

_Nudge, nudge. Nudge, nudge._

"Hyungwon," A voice whispered.

_Nudge, nudge._

"Hyungwooooon!"

_Nudge, nudge._

 

**_S M A C K_ **

"Hyungwon!"

"Ow!" Hyungwon hisses, "Ow, ow, ow,"

"It's a miracle, you're finally up." Minhyuk snidely commented.

"What's wrong?" Hyungwon questioned, rubbing the spot on his chest that Minhyuk slapped, "Why did you hit me?"

"You wouldn't get up, I tried being nice." Minhyuk said and Hyungwon made a face.

"Yeah but you didn't have to hit me." Hyungwon rolled onto his side, looking up at the white-haired hybrid.

"You're up aren't you?" Minhyuk questioned, and Hyungwon sighed.

 

He couldn't exactly argue with Minhyuk, it did wake him up, and he also knew how hard it could be to wake him up. That didn't stop him from feeling a bit upset that Minhyuk slapped him on the chest, though. Hyungwon may be a tall boy, but he's also a very small boy. He doesn't have enough meat on his bones to be able to just get slapped like that and have it not hurt. That wasn't to say that Hyungwon was unhealthy, he was just a lanky man and his pain tolerance wasn't as high as others. Still, he didn't hold it against Minhyuk, but he did hope that he wouldn't do that again. What time was it? Hyungwon glanced at the window, noticing that it was now dark, which meant that it was either late at night or early in the morning. Or it was five days later, but he was hoping it wasn't the latter. He blinked, his eyes feeling a bit grainy from being woken up so abruptly. He sighed, resisting the undying urge to drag Minhyuk into the bed and cuddle him. Hyungwon was a clingy, affectionate man, but he was also a considerate man above most things.

His eyes moved from the window to look at Minhyuk, who's hair was a bit messy and eyes were wider than normal. His ears were down flat and facing behind him, his tail bristled and down flat between his legs. Was he scared? Hyungwon sat up a bit, involuntarily raising a brow as he continued to stare at Minhyuk. The hybrid nervously gazed at the window before looking back at Hyungwon. A crack of lightening, followed by a loud rip of thunder echoed in the skies, and Minhyuk visibly jumped.

 

"Are you okay?" Hyungwon questioned and Minhyuk shrugged.

"Uhh, y-yeah, I'm good, totally fine-" Minhyuk squeaked as another round of thunder and lightening boomed in the skies.

"Does the storm scare you?" Hyungwon questioned, eyebrows furrowing.

"What? N-No, not really, I'm fine." Minhyuk dodged the question.

"So then why did you wake me up?" Hyungwon questioned.

"Uhh, why did I wake you up?" Minhyuk questioned back, and Hyungwon nodded, "Well, because you looked....Thirsty."

"I was sleeping and I looked thirsty, so you wake me up?" Hyungwon questioned.

"Yeah, wouldn't want you to get dehydrated." Minhyuk tried to play along with his own lie.

 

Another round of thunder and lightening, and Minhyuk was shaking a little. He was clearly scared, but either wasn't going to admit it or didn't trust him enough to admit something like that. Hyungwon tried to think of a solution that would make both Minhyuk and himself feel better. He couldn't just go back to sleep now knowing that Minhyuk was scared out of his mind because of the storm. His bed was pretty big, but he doubted Minhyuk would be willing to sleep in it with him. The problem is, he didn't feel right having Minhyuk sleep on the floor either, so that was completely out of the question. He also couldn't just materialize a bed in here for the hybrid, so are there really any other options? He supposes he could just sleep on the floor, though he really wouldn't prefer it, and he thinks it'd kinda defeat the purpose of Minhyuk wanting to find comfort in him during the storm. Hyungwon rubs the back of his neck, not really being able to think of anything else to offer. So, with one slightly awkward surge of confidence (or stupidity, it's debatable), he turns back to Minhyuk.

 

"Would you like to sleep with me on the bed?" Hyungwon questioned, resisting his want to hold the hybrid and comfort him.

"What?" Minhyuk questioned.

"Look, I understand if you don't want to admit you're scared, it's okay. I get like that too, I understand and you don't have to tell me," Hyungwon started in his soothing voice, "But I don't feel right just doing nothing, so if you want, you can sleep with me on here."

"I," Minhyuk paused, nervously gazing at the window as he weighed his options, "O-Okay."

"Great," Hyungwon smiled, "Here, get in on this side," Hyungwon moved back the covers on the side he wasn't laying down on.

"Okay." Minhyuk said in a slightly calmer tone than before.

 

Minhyuk climbed into the bed, almost nervously situating himself in it to get comfortable. Truthfully, his cheeks were burning a bit from embarrassment, but he did feel a lot better being beside Hyungwon. Not that he'd say that out loud, or at least while Hyungwon is conscious. Hyungwon layed back down, moving on his side and getting comfortable. With the peace of mind knowing that Minhyuk wasn't scared and alone, the comforting lure of sleep was tugging at him once again. Hyungwon took a inhaled deeply, his eyelids closing as he let out the breath of air trapped in his lungs. Minhyuk was also starting to feel tired again as well, his mind calmed by the safety that Hyungwon casted over him. He pulled the blanket up further, almost disappearing under it, but his white hair and golden eyes stuck out and contrasted against the sheets, not that you'd be able to see in when it's this dark. He glanced over, thinking Hyungwon was asleep already, and took the 'alone time' to reflect on the day he's had so far. He has a whole entire _room_ to himself.

Not a closet, not a pantry, or cabinets under the sink, or a blanket in the basement, no. He has a room! A very pretty room, too. It's hands down the biggest room he's ever had, and all to himself! Granted, some humans might think the room is a bit small, but it didn't bother Minhyuk one bit. He thought the room was pretty big, and as far as he's concerned, his opinion is the only one that matters right now. It feels a bit weird having to come to Hyungwon for comfort, but he's always had a fear with storms. They scare him half to death, but he couldn't admit that to Hyungwon once he had woken up. It was strange, the words just caught in his throat, and he found himself making up excuses and lies as to why he had woken the taller up. Part of him was afraid; scared that if Hyungwon knew, he'd call him a gutless fool and send him back to the shelter. Another part of him just didn't want to be that vulnerable to someone he just met. Yet, here he was, laying in Hyungwon's bed, and feeling safer than he's felt in a long time. Another jolt of lightening and a loud crash of thunder had Minhyuk jump in a mixture of surprise and fear.

He glanced at Hyungwon, who he thought to be fast asleep by now, and he turned to his side. Minhyuk took his paler hand and carefully linked his pinky with Hyungwon's, the body contact making him feel even more at ease. He waited a moment, seeing if Hyungwon would wake up, and when he didn't he sighed in relief. He really didn't want to admit that this made him feel better. Minhyuk closed his eyes, quickly falling into the arms of sleep. Another round of lightening and thunder collided, but this time he didn't jump; this time he felt safe and secure. Hyungwon, who was still awake but making up little scenarios in his head, smiled a bit when he felt Minhyuk's pinky connect with his. Does this mean he trusts him a bit more? Hyungwon could only hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know this is short, but i have work really soon, and i really wanted to publish something!!

**Author's Note:**

> to be clear, the non-con tag I put in here is because of Minhyuk's backstory, and not anything Hyungwon will be doing. Just wanted to clarify ♥


End file.
